440 Mr. J. Black wall's Characters of some 



minent. Some slight modifications of form and size may be perceived oc- 

 casionally in the white lines and spots so remarkable on this species. 



Length, from the anterior part of the cephalothorax to the extremity of 

 the abdomen, 'th of an inch; length of the cephalothorax -^; breadth -&>■; 

 breadth of the abdomen -fa; length of a posterior leg j ; length of a leg of 

 the third pair 4- . 



The male though less than the female resembles it in colour, and in the 

 relative length of its legs, but their absolute length is rather greater, a 

 posterior one measuring <&thi of an inch. The third and fourth joints of 

 the palpi are short, the latter projecting a small, pointed apophysis from 

 the outer side of its anterior extremity ; the fifth joint is of an elongated 

 oval shape pointed before; it is convex externally, concave within, com- 

 prising the sexual organs, which are highly developed, with a small, pro- 

 minent, curved spine beneath, and are of a red-brown colour. 



L discovered this small but brilliant spider in April 1833, among moss, in 

 the woods about Oakland. It belongs to M.Walckenaer's third section of 

 the genus Drassus, or the PeritcE, having a close affinity with Drassus ful gens. 

 Like some other species of AraneidcB, it is partial to moisture, and drinks 

 water freely. A pair which I had confined in a glass phial having become 

 feeble and greatly shrunk, I introduced to them a few drops of water, which 

 they drank of with avidity, and speedily resumed their strength and former 

 plump appearance. In the month of May, females of this species, in a 

 state of captivity, constructed cocoons of a hemispherical form, in which 

 they deposited nine or ten globular eggs of a pale yellow colour, not ag- 

 glutinated together. The cocoons were composed of delicately white silk 

 of a very fine, compact texture, and above each was fabricated an open 

 tube of the same material, which was usually occupied by the spider. 



Drassus sylvestris. 



Cephalothorax oval, glossy, convex above, with slight furrows on the 

 sides, and a narrow, longitudinal indentation in the medial line of the pos- 

 terior region ; it is depressed in front, where the eyes are disposed in two 

 transverse, parallel rows, somewhat curved,- -having their convexity di- 

 rected backwards; the posterior row is rather the longer of the two, and 

 the intermediate eyes, which are oval, and nearer to each other than they 

 are to the lateral eyes of the same row, form a square with the interme- 

 diate eves of the anterior row, which are the smallest of the eight. Man- 

 dibles strong, conical, dentated on the inner surface, prominent at the 

 base, projecting a little forwards. Maxillae long, convex at the base, un- 

 derneath, enlarged externally where the palpi are inserted, and at the ex- 

 tremities, depressed and contracted in the middle, and curved towards the 

 lip, which is long, oval, convex at the base, and rounded at the apex. 

 Pectus of an oval form pointed behind. Legs robust, moderately hairy, 

 furnished with a few small spines; fourth pair the longest, then the first, 

 the third pair being the shortest. Each tarsus has a brush on the under 

 side, and two curved claws, dentated at the base, at its extremity. The 

 palpi, which are strong, are terminated by a single claw dentated at the 

 base. These parts are of a reddish brown colour, the mandibles, maxillae, 

 and lip being much the darkest. Abdomen of an oblong oval figure, thickly 

 covered with short hairs; its colour is dull olive green tinged with brown, 

 a band of a deeper hue, broad before and tapering to a point behind, ex- 

 tending from the anterior part, contiguous to the cephalothorax, nearly 

 two thirds of its length, along the medial line, the interval comprised be- 

 tween it and the spinners being occupied by a series of obscure, hoary, 

 angular lines, having their vertices directed forwards. The spinning mam- 

 mulae are prominent, cylindrical, and of a reddish brown colour. The 



